


Tabula Rasa

by angrbodagiantess



Series: The Door Home [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Brother Feels, Brotherly Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Poor Loki, Protective Thor, no more tags because spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-09-21 15:32:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9555173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angrbodagiantess/pseuds/angrbodagiantess
Summary: A small town, a wife he's never met, and where is Thor? This new place is strange, but Loki doesn't know what to think of it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all! Sorry for the insanely long wait between episodes. And also sorry for the crappy summary and lack of tags, but they could be spoilery and there isn't much in this episode that would be worrisome for most.
> 
> I hope you enjoy. :)

He was smiling. Smiling so widely that his face almost hurt.

_Why am I smiling?_

The stairs he took one at a time, not in a hurry at all; it was Saturday, after all, wasn't it?

He smelled pancakes and bacon cooking as his socked feet met the wooden floor. The sun was shining through the windows and the birds were singing, what a wonderful life this was!

_What are pancakes?_

His wife smiled at him as he entered the kitchen, her bright teeth gleaming as she spoke with a bounce in her step. "There you are, sleepy head. Sleep well?"

_Who is this woman?_

Loki nodded but found his mouth moving, "Of course, dear, although I think I slept a little too long." He smiled again.

_Stop...smiling!_

She gave a small chuckle and waited for him to sit before she put down two hot plates of food and sat down herself. "Isn't this wonderful," she said with a wide smile. "I love Saturdays, don't you?"

"The best, as always," he said, still smiling.

_Now my face hurts._

"But," his wife began, "we shouldn't forget we'll be having a guest over tonight."

"Oh, of course," said Loki as he ate his breakfast. It tasted...interesting. Familiar, and yet he somehow knew he had never eaten this kind of food before.

"And," his wife said, still smiling widely, "make sure you get those batteries. I think they're in the basement."

Loki froze, then swallowed. _The basement._ The mere thought of going down there filled him with dread. He nodded awkwardly as he finished his meal.

_Where am I?_

Slowly standing up from his chair, he peeked around the door of the dining room to where the basement door was, against the base of the stairs.

"I need them now, sweetie," said his wife, still eating.

He nodded again, a knot growing in his stomach. "Of-of course," he said, trying to control his breathing.

_What's down there?_

Even though he didn't want to, wanted to sit back down or go somewhere else or jump out the window, he found his legs moving toward the door.

He stood there for a moment, just staring.

_Don't open it! Don't open it!_

He opened the door.

.

When evening came, there was a knock on the front door.

"I'll get that," said his wife as she stood up from the couch.

The two had been watching some sort of nonsensical program on television, which had begun to catch Loki's interest until, strangely, the exact same program started over from the beginning, repeating what he had just seen. His wife seemed oddly unperturbed by it, instead smiling warmly at him and continuing to watch as if nothing were amiss.

Then the knock on the door. Then another series of knocks, louder, as he heard his wife approach and open the door.

"We were beginning to worry you weren't coming-" began his overly-cheery wife, only to be cut off by a booming all-too-familiar voice.

"Where is my brother?! Is he here? I know he's here!"

Loki, eyes wide, rushed toward the voice. "Thor?" he said in confusion as he approached the large blond.

Eyes falling on Loki, Thor rushed over, completely ignoring the woman standing in his way, and put his too-rough hands on the trickster's shoulders. "I knew you were here," he said with hurried words.

"...Alright?" responded a confused Loki.

His wife walked over as she smiled at the two. "We thought you'd gotten lost. I'm sorry, we've already eaten, we thought you weren't coming."

Thor, still not letting go of Loki, turned to her. "And who are you?"

His rude tone seemed lost on the woman as she continued in a bright tone. "We still have some left-overs if you'd like to sit down," she indicated the kitchen.

Frowning at her, Thor turned back to Loki. "Brother, who is this?"

She left the two and walked into the kitchen. Loki heard her opening the refrigerator. _Odd...this is so odd._ He looked at Thor; at least he was just as confused.

"She is...is my wife," murmured Loki, swallowing.

Thor blinked and let go of him, hands falling to his sides. Then, after a moment of silent staring, he reached up and felt of Loki's forehead with a serious expression.

" _Thor_ ," Loki admonished, irritably removing his hand. "Her name is Sigyn. Apparently, we've been happily married for a year. We've lived in this house for a month, and I," he took a deep breath, "am an attorney. Whatever that is," he mumbled.

Thor stared at him again, then he narrowed his eyes. "Is this a jest?"

"I wish it were."

"A trick?"

"Not mine."

"Am I dreaming?"

"I can only hope."

Thor gave him a look. "I'm being serious."

"So am I," he replied flatly. He leaned toward Thor and whispered under his breath, "I've never met this woman in my life before this morning. I...I _know_ things I shouldn't know, yet I still know them. I ate something called 'pancakes' this morning and watched a ridiculous television program repeatedly even though I shouldn't even know what a television is!" He was nearly shouting by the end and Thor quieted him down with his hands once again on his shoulders, albeit gently this time.

"Alright, alright, calm down. Do you perhaps also know where we are, then?" He lowered his arms as Loki scratched his forehead.

"I don't know...some sort of town?"

"On Midgard?"

Loki furrowed his brow. "I don't believe so. The mortals are still primitive, they were living in thatched houses the last time we saw them."

"Yes, but we haven't been to Midgard in some time."

"They wouldn't have advanced _this_ quickly. Still...they _do_ look like humans. I don't know," he sighed. He thought on it further, shaking his head a little. "I don't believe the Tag would send us to our own universe; it hasn't yet."

Thor nodded, resigned.

"Oh boys," sing-songed his wife as she stood with a hand on her hip just outside the kitchen. "Maybe you'd like to join me? I thought we could sit and talk while our guest eats his dinner."

Thor half-shrugged. "I _am_ hungry," he said and Loki raised a brow at him. "What? Haven't _you_ eaten already?"

Conceding his brother's point, the two followed Sigyn into the kitchen.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

While it was obvious there was a lot of strangeness happening here, Thor couldn't find anything overtly _dangerous_ about it...yet. These places inevitably ended up as more than they would care to handle, but this one appeared quite homely. The town, as well, was quaint and quiet. That Loki was suddenly married to a woman he had never met was odd, but not exactly ominous, per se.

The device on his brother's wrist remained intact and, according to Loki, his magic was recovering nicely. So, they only needed to wait until it was time and they could leave. Simple.

Sigyn cleared the table and smiled widely at him. As soon as she entered the kitchen, Thor whispered to Loki, "She certainly enjoys smiling."

Loki rolled his eyes. "I seem unable to stop _myself_ from smiling, sometimes."

Thor furrowed his brow in amusement. "You did say _happily_ _married_ , yes?"

"Oh very funny."

His wife's head poked through the cracked door. "Darling, can you get some more batteries? The ones from before already died on me!" she chuckled.

Loki's eyes went wide so suddenly that Thor worried for him. "Loki?"

His brother let out a short gasp through his open mouth as Thor began to notice the table shaking slightly. Looking down, he realized Loki was holding tightly to it with clawed fingers and it was _he_ who was shaking. Then suddenly, he stood up and began walking toward the room's exit.

Worried, Thor stood up, too. "Brother? What is it?"

"Th-Thor-" gritted out Loki through clenched jaw, still moving to exit the dining room. "S-stop me."

Thor frowned. "What?"

The trickster walked out of the kitchen, quicker now. "Please, stop me."

"Wait, brother!" Thor followed him, but it was too late, Loki had walked through a door near the back of the stairs as it closed in Thor's face. He tried the handle but it didn't budge. Annoyed, he knocked on it harshly. "Loki! Open this door, what is happening?!"

No response. He tried to open the door with his shoulder, slamming against it, but nothing happened. _How is this possible?_ He kicked at it next, then punched it with his fists. Nothing. He had never before met such a stubborn door. Something told him even Mjolnir could not open it.

"Oh don't worry, dear," said the cooing voice of Loki's wife. "He'll be right up. It does take him a while to find the right batteries, though," she smiled fondly, staring up at him.

Thor rushed up to her and held her shoulders in both hands. "What is happening? Why can I not open that door?!" He gave her a small shake but she continued smiling as though he wasn't holding her in his tightening grip.

"He'll be right up," she repeated. "I do need those batteries, there's no need to worry."

Smiling. _Still_ smiling. Thor gave her an experimental shake, not enough to truly harm her but surely enough to make her _stop smiling!_ But she didn't. She simply stared at him with carefree eyes.

"He's just gone to get the batteries," she continued in a drone. "I'm sure he'll be right up. You don't need to worry, dear, he'll be right up."

"Right up from where?!" Thor shouted.

"It shouldn't take him long," she said, ignoring him. "Why don't you have a seat while we wait?"

He didn't know what to do. Who was this woman, and why did she keep repeating herself? The sudden thought struck him that she wasn't human at all; he had never met a mortal that acted so strangely. And why was Loki suddenly locked in that room? If he didn't wish to go there, why did he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's an idea in this episode that I more or less copied from a favorite tv show of mine. It was just too genius not to use! Can anyone guess what it is?
> 
> As always, I'll post one chapter every week, on Wednesday or Thursday.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, chapter 2. Enjoy!

Loki walked out of the basement in a daze and was immediately greeted by a fuming thunder god rushing out of the kitchen.

"Loki! What is happening- why did you go in there?" His questions continued but Loki only stared. He didn't have any answers, he didn't know because he didn't _remember_. All he knew was that he _hated_ going down there, and he had panicked when his wife had told him she needed the batteries again. Except it had nothing to do with batteries.

He absently, and as if trudging through molasses, handed the heavy metal things to his wife as Thor followed his every movement, still asking questions that Loki did not hear.

"Brother," Loki spoke softly, his voice faint. Thor looked at him, stopping all movement. "Why didn't you stop me?"

His elder brother frowned. "I...I didn't understand what you were doing. Why did you go? Could you not stop yourself?" He'd asked these questions before, but this time Loki answered.

"No." Loki paused a moment. "I couldn't. I couldn't _stop_."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Sigyn's sudden appearance next to them made Loki jump. "If you're going to be staying," she said to Thor, still so cheerfully, "the guest room is ready."

Thor growled at her. Whatever she was, she wasn't _right_. "Leave us _be_ ," Thor warned.

She seemed unfazed as she turned to Loki. "Alright, sweetie," she said as she leaned in and kissed Loki on the cheek, to which he jerked back. "I'm going to bed. We'll talk more tomorrow. And you, too, Thor," she added before disappearing up the stairs.

Thor stared after her, perplexed. "I truly do not know what to make of her. Loki?" he turned back to his brother, but he was walking away. Thor caught up just as they entered a room with two couches, a large, soft chair, and various tables and other furniture Thor didn't recognize.

He joined his little brother, who had sat down on one of the couches. It was comfortable enough, but Loki sat stiffly, almost delicately.

"Loki?" Thor tried again. "Are you...well?" The quick, minute shake of his head worried Thor greatly. "What happened in there?" he asked carefully.

Loki swallowed, face staring at nothing. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Thor asked. Loki nodded. "Then why are you so afraid of going in there?"

"I...I..." Loki struggled for words, and, for the first time, Thor noticed how wet his brother's eyes seemed. "I don't know," he said in a slightly wavering voice as he tilted his head toward Thor.

Uncertain what to do, but feeling terrible for his brother, Thor gently grabbed his head and pulled him into an embrace he'd have no choice but to accept. Loki didn't resist, though, as he laid his head on Thor's shoulder.

Silence lingered between the two for a while until he felt one of Loki's hands bunching up his shirt at the front. "Brother," said Loki, voice small but determined, "you...you cannot allow me to go through that door again. Please don't let me go in there again..." He trailed off as Thor ran a hand through Loki's hair, nodding.

"I won't. I don't understand it, but I won't allow you near that room."

Loki sniffled and Thor realized he had been crying.

As if it were an afterthought, Loki said, "It's the basement."

"Hm?"

"The room, it's...not a room, it's the basement."

"Ah."

"I have to go now."

Thor frowned as Loki began moving away. "What?"

"It's late, I should sleep. You, too, brother." He did appear very weary.

Thor nodded. "Very well, I will sleep in the guest room, as your... that woman offered." As Loki stood up, Thor had a thought. "Are you...going to sleep in the same bed with her?"

Loki's hesitation worried him a little, but the trickster nodded.

"But why? She clearly unnerves you."

"I don't have a choice," said Loki quietly. At Thor's confused look he continued, "If I didn't go up there my body would make me."

Thor's confusion only grew. "What do you mean?"

Loki's chuckled, but it was strange. "Why do you think I went into the basement when I clearly did not wish to? It'll be alright, Thor, I'll see you in the morning." He walked away before Thor could protest further.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Good morning," the woman chirped as Thor walked into the dining room. "Loki should be awake soon, he always sleeps in late on weekends."

Her smile wasn't reassuring, if ever it was, so Thor turned around, ready to go find his brother, only to find him walking down the stairs, feet in uncharacteristically colorful socks. Thor frowned at them.

"Good morning, brother," said the trickster as he passed him by, smiling.

Thor narrowed his eyes, "Good...morning?"

Disappearing into the kitchen, Loki returned with a plate full of food and sat down at the table, and was soon joined by Sigyn.

"There you are," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Sleep well?"

"Of course. I might have slept a little too long, though."

 _What is happening here?_ thought Thor. Loki was _smiling_. Smiling like nothing strange had happened yesterday, like this was all _normal_.

"I love Sundays," said Sigyn, and clearly, she really _did_. "Isn't this wonderful?"

The two continued smiling as Thor, slowly, and eyeing them, sat down as well.

"As always," returned Loki, face bright as he began eating.

"I think we should go to the park today, dear," said Sigyn.

Loki nodded, "A wonderful idea. You do love to watch the fish."

Her smile widened. "There are also the butterflies."

"Ah, yes. How many did you catch last time?"

"Only two, but I hope to catch a rare one this time."

"And it's certain to be quite lovely. How are your paintings coming along?"

"I finished one yesterday," smiled Sigyn. "What about your gem collection?"

"Coming along nicely. I found a new one near the lake across town-"

Thor, unable to hear anymore of this inane prattle, slammed his fist down on the table, rattling everything. Loki nearly jumped out of his chair, his fork skittering across the table, but Sigyn didn't so much as flinch as she continued smiling and eating.

"Loki!" Thor shouted. "What is _wrong with you_?"

Blinking rapidly and breathing heavily, Loki's wide and confused eyes darted to Thor's. "B-Brother? What's happened?"

"Nothing's _happened_ ," Thor began, then settled back into his chair, sighing, "Except my brother has been replaced by an automaton. Or something equally ridiculous, I know not." He was glad that the younger seemed more himself now.

Loki inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly, trying to regain control of himself.

Watching him carefully, Thor asked, "Are you alright now?"

Loki nodded, although it could have easily been a lie.

"Yes, that gem collection is lovely," said Sigyn suddenly, as if there hadn't been any interruption. "I have my book club today," she said to Loki. "Is there anything you and Thor might like to do?" She leaned in excitedly. "Maybe you can go fishing!"

The two stared at her for some time. "Of...course," Loki nodded, slightly frowning. "Go to your...book club. You needn't worry about us, we'll be fine."

Her smile was saccharine as she headed out the door. "I'll see you later, sweetie!" she called, just as the front door closed.

Loki's shoulders slumped. Thor smiled sympathetically. "She does unnerve you," he stated.

"Of _course_ she does," Loki hissed. "Have you seen the way she _smiles_? It isn't natural."

"And yet," Thor crossed his arms in amusement, "you slept with her."

Loki gave him a _look_. "I slept in the same bed, _yes_ , but we did not," he hesitated, " _do_ anything."

"Why not? You _are_ married, are you not?" Thor smiled, knowing it would irritate his brother.

Bearing his teeth, Loki said, "Weren't you the one saying she's _unnerving_?"

Thor purposefully shrugged and leaned back in the chair, arms resting behind his head. Loki rolled his eyes and stood up as he began cleaning up the dishes.

"What are you doing?" asked Thor.

"What?"

" _What are you doing?_ "

"Cleaning," Loki replied absently.

"Why?"

"What- why not?" Loki's brow furrowed.

"We are in some strange realm with an unseen force that seems determined to control you and you say _why_ when I ask you what you're doing? 'Why are you cleaning up?' is my question. Why do anything? We should be out there trying to find out what this place is. And what your _wife_ is." Loki paused and looked straight at him. Thor continued, "She's clearly some sort of..."

A dark eyebrow raised. "Some sort of...what?"

Thor shrugged. "I don't know, you tell me. And you," he put a hand on Loki to stop him when he started cleaning again. "Why do you insist on _interacting_ as if you're a part of this place?"

Loki quickly set down the dishes and winced. "I don't know."

"You say that much."

"Well you keep _asking_ ," he hissed, "and I simply _do not know_."

Thor put up his hands placatingly. "Alright, brother, I am sorry. We are both confused in this."

Loki nodded, satisfied, then sat down with a tired sigh. Although he looked about to say something, he suddenly stood up, grabbed the dishes and walked into the kitchen before Thor could do anything.

"Wha-" Thor began, but his brother was already gone, the sound of dishes and silverware clattering about the only response. Thor cleared his throat and shouted: "If I ask what you're doing now, will you say 'I don't know-'"

"Shut up, Thor!" Loki yelled, then walked back into the dining room. "I don't know _why_ I needed to do that only that my body wanted to."

"Your body?"

"It seems to move on its own...sometimes. I get strange urges."

"Are you saying your body actually _moves_ on its own-?"

"What did I just say?" Loki looked annoyed, but also worried.

Thor nodded, beginning to worry himself. "Could I stop you- your body when it tries to do something?"

The trickster shrugged uncertainly. "Perhaps."

"I am...still stronger than you, I presume," Thor said with humor.

" _Thor_." Loki rolled his eyes but already seemed a little less worried. Then in seriousness, he said: "I hope so."

.

The princes of Asgard stood in the living room, looking about and looking confused.

"So what should we do?" asked the elder prince.

"How should I know?" Loki said just as he turned on the strange square on the wall that lit up and moved with bright pictures. He then sat down as if readying himself to watch it for a prolonged period.

Thor blinked once at the machine, eyebrows slightly raised. It was interesting, although they had more important things to deal with. "Why did you do that?"

"Hm?" Loki asked, staring boredly at the contraption with his head slightly lolling to the side.

"Loki..?" Thor shook his brother's shoulder lightly, a little worried at the sudden turn of attitude.

Loki flinched as he blinked rapidly, looking to the other. "What- What is it?"

"You were _staring_ , brother, at that contraption. You worry me."

"Was I?" responded Loki, still looking disoriented and staring at nothing. "I simply had the urge to turn the thing on, then to watch it." He shook his head. "I don't know what's happening." His forlorn eyes made Thor want to tuck him under his arm like he used to when they were younger, but instead the elder prince nodded.

"Neither do I, but we must-"

Loki stood up and looked to be walking toward the door again, as if not in control of his own actions. Thor stood up and stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Brother, stop." _Yes, that's going to work_ , thought Thor to himself _._ Even so, it did seem like startling Loki physically did snap him back to himself.

"This is...very strange..." Loki said, head turned away from Thor. And suddenly the second prince moved toward Thor and tried to hit him across the head, but Thor reflexively dodged his arm.

"Loki!" Thor yelled at the younger, whose face seemed- to his relief -extremely disturbed.

He tried to lunge at Thor next in an apparent attempt to tackle him, but Thor easily grabbed him and held onto him.

It was actually so ridiculous that Thor couldn't help but chuckle. "Brother, stop this," he almost laughed, holding the other back easily with both hands. But Loki- or rather, _Loki's body_ , seemed determined.

"By the Norns, Thor, what in Helheim am I _doing_?"

"I don't know," Thor chuckled, "but it's a valiant effort, little brother."

In quick succession, Loki said, "Knock me back, or down, or hit me- no wait not that."

"What-?"

"Just _do something_?! This is embarrassing!"

Although it _was_ somewhat embarrassing, mostly for Loki, it was almost funny, and very strange. Was there a sentient power behind these actions or were they spontaneous? Thor wasn't sure which was worse.

"Thor!" Loki hissed through clenched teeth, his body still trying to, futilely, get by Thor's hands.

"Yes, alright." Thor quickly grabbed one of Loki's arms, twisted it behind his back and pushed him to the floor on his stomach, pinning him there with his weight.

"This is _not_ what I had in mind!" Loki shouted.

"Would you have preferred to hit me?" Thor said in a mockingly disapproving tone. "It's unkind to abuse your elder brother, Loki, I don't believe our parents would approve." Thor smiled to himself, suddenly understanding a little of why Loki found it amusing to spar with words.

"Shut up, you dolt, get off me!"

"Do you truly wish me to..?"

"No," Loki answered immediately, resigned. His forehead thumped on the floor. "I hate this," he sighed. "And I hate _you_."

"What did I do?" asked Thor, still amused.

"Nothing," Loki admitted. "I just hate you."

Thor smirked. If _this_ was the worst thing this realm would throw at them, he didn't think it was all that bad. Strange, yes, but dangerous? Not so far.

And as if the universe heard him, a sudden force hit the house like the loudest thunder, shaking everything to the foundation.

"What was that?" Loki asked, attempting to look around.

Thor frowned and saw out the window a large ball of fire erupting in the distance. "Something's happening..." said Thor.

"How astute of you, but may I ask _what_ , dear brother?"

Thor heard the sarcasm but not the question, his eyes on the horizon. "I have to leave."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know: cliffhangers ahhh! I don't plan the cliffhangers because I write continuously, not chapter by chapter, but it somehow always turns out that way, hahaha. Sorry about that.


	3. Chapter 3

As strange as it was, Loki was suddenly _less_ comfortable without Thor all but sitting on him. At least he could be assured he couldn't do anything- not least of which was _attacking_ Thor, of all people, it was so ludicrous. What was wrong with his body?

The moment Thor released him Loki tried to stop him with a hand, but Thor pulled away easily, moving for the front door.

"Brother, wait!" Loki shouted. "What am I supposed to do?"

Thor turned around as he descended the front steps outside the house. "Stay here, I don't think there's any danger near." He then ran down the road toward where Loki could now see a smoldering fire in the distance, smoke billowing.

"But how can you know that?" Loki called after him. "Brother! How can you- _damn this!_ "

He walked inside and slammed the door. He considered following after him but, as reluctant as he was to admit it, he was afraid of stepping outside the house. What if whatever was controlling him decided to hurt him somehow? Or somebody else? He hadn't been able to stop himself doing _anything_ yet.

But still... His eyes caught the edge of the door that led to the basement and Loki immediately made for the front door, deciding it was better to have Thor around than risk what he knew would happen in this house.

He didn't get very far, though, as Sigyn suddenly burst through the door, a look of worry on her face.

"Loki!" she said as she entered and closed the door behind her.

"I...thought you had some...thing to attend," the prince said lamely, caught off-guard. He really didn't need _her_ in his presence right now, and he was convinced she was involved with this madness.

"Oh I went," she said quickly as she removed her coat and stood at the window, looking out. "But on the way home I saw an explosion. Didn't you see it?" she asked, staring out the window intently.

He narrowed his eyes at her. _Is this some spontaneous event unrelated to us, or is she somehow involved?_ He didn't know what to think, but what he did know was that he couldn't trust her.

Without a second thought, and not really caring about whatever this explosion was, he made for the kitchen. It was the only place guaranteed to have a weapon. Knives were his specialty, he might as well tuck some away. It was somewhat disconcerting when he knew exactly where the kitchen knives were despite not having used them yet, but he didn't dwell on it. When he reached for one, however, he felt a presence behind him and he froze.

"What are you doing, dear?" asked Sigyn from behind him.

He couldn't move. He tried to pull his hand away so he could come up with an excuse, but he somehow suspected she already knew.

Sigyn walked up to him and slowly, perhaps a little too slowly, closed the drawer. She stood very close to him and smiled as she whispered, "Loki, I need some more of those batteries from the basement. Can you get them for me?"

His breath caught in his throat. And he tried, he _really_ tried, but he couldn't do what he so desperately wanted to, which was _run_. Run out the door and scream for Thor, for _anyone_ to stop him, but he couldn't because his body was frozen.

"No..." he said, the word barely even a whisper.

"I need them now," she said, lips curving in a delicate smile. If there was malice there, Loki couldn't see it. A sudden and strange thought occurred to him: _Does she even know?_ Maybe or maybe not, but it didn't matter.

As his body moved to the dreaded door, faster than he wanted, he cursed his brother and this wretched place with everything in him.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

It took Thor a lot longer to reach the fire than he thought and he had considered turning back several times before he came upon the scene. The street was in mayhem; people in yellow coats running around, and others standing some ways away, watching. The men in yellow coats and odd helmets sprayed water on the fire, although Thor wasn't certain where the water was coming from. He didn't really care; he was only concerned with getting to any people that might be trapped inside the large burning building.

He approached one of the yellow-coated men standing by who seemed to be in charge.

"Good sir," said Thor, "do you require any aid? Are there citizens trapped inside this structure?"

The man glanced at him. "Sir, we have this under control, please step back, we can handle this."

Thor couldn't be sure of that. "Are you certain? Are there people still inside? I could help retrieve-"

"There's no one left inside, the building was empty. Please, sir, step back."

One of the other men in yellow approached and briskly escorted Thor away. Normally Thor would be offended that they would do such a thing, but it did appear that they knew what they were doing. If he had had Mjolnir with him he would have conjured a rain storm to aid them, but as he did not have it, he did as he was asked.

From what he had seen so far, these people _did_ appear to be Midgardians. It was not a town Thor recognized- not that he would, but then there were _so many_ mortals, it was hard to keep track of there dwellings.

After walking a few steps away, but determined to stay near in case they did need his help at some point, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. It was a person, moving down into some sort of hole in the ground near a tree on a grassy field between two large buildings. Such a thing usually wouldn't interest him, but he somehow got the impression this person had been watching him. Moving closer, he found that the hole was covered with a metal door and some haphazardly placed grass, as if to disguise it. He found a small handle and opened it, the metal creaking surprising him. _What is this?_ Peering inside, he saw a small light at the end of a long ladder leading straight down. It was dim, but enough to see that it wasn't very far.

He considered that he should probably return to Loki, but he knew this could be important. Making up his mind, he stepped onto the ladder and made his way down. _I haven't been gone very long, I'll look around for a bit, then I'll return._ He descended quickly. Reaching the floor, he heard faint footsteps and noticed the figure from earlier disappearing at a bend in a corridor that stretched ahead. Dim lights followed the cylindrical tunnel, although most were broken and dark. Thor hurriedly followed, hoping to catch the person. He didn't know what to expect. Perhaps they were simply a vagrant, but he had hopes they might have answers- of what, he wasn't sure.

He followed for some time, going down tunnel after tunnel, until he reached a dead end. _Damn._ But before he could turn around, he was attacked from behind. The person was laughably weak, however, and Thor easily threw them against the wall and held them with one hand around the throat.

"How dare you attack a son of Odin!" Thor bellowed out of habit, but he was more annoyed than angry. People seemed fond of sneaking up on him.

The man wore a dark hood that completely obscured his face. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, "I didn't want to attack you, I just didn't know who you were."

Thor tried to see his face but it was too dark. "If you did not know who I am then why attack me?"

He hesitated. "I...I thought you might be here to hurt us," he said in a small voice.

The prince frowned. "'We'?"

Suddenly Thor noticed that several people had come out of nowhere and were slowly, cautiously, approaching. Their stance didn't seem hostile, merely curious, and perhaps worried for their fellow. All of them wore hoods so that he couldn't see their faces and their clothes were ragged and worn.

"We," reemphasized the young man in his grip. Thor, realizing they were probably not a threat, at least to _him_ , let him go. The man rubbed his neck lightly. "What are you doing down here?" he asked.

"I thought you looked suspicious," said Thor. "I was curious."

"Curious?" said an elderly woman to Thor's right. "About the Underground?"

The people whispered among themselves as more of them gathered around Thor.

"You..." began the young man, "you're not one of them." He looked to the others. "He's different. That's why I was looking at him, he's _different_."

The rest murmured in agreement.

"Different?" Thor asked, bemused. "What do you mean? What is your name?" he asked the man.

"Lorne," he answered.

"And I am Denise," said the elderly woman. The others remained silent. "And you're different...from the _others_ , the people on the surface. We," her head tilted down, "used to be like them."

"And do you all live here now?" Thor asked, noticing a few children clutched to several adults. _How can they live down here?_ "Why do you not go to the surface?"

"No," said Lorne, "we can't, we don't want to, we've... We don't belong there anymore. We broke free and we're never going back."

"Broke free?" Thor frowned. "Of what?"

Then, slowly, as if afraid of Thor's reaction, Lorne removed his hood. At first his face was hidden in shadow, then, as he looked up, Thor recoiled in shock.

"What _are_ you?" Thor asked under his breath.

Each of the others then removed their hoods, revealing the same thing, even the children, and Thor didn't know _what_ to think. Because what could he do but stare, when all he saw were blank-skinned faces, no eyes, no mouth, no ears, no hair- _nothing_.

"We're the Underground," said Denise without a mouth, "and we are _free_."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

His world tilted, pitched and wavered- a string of yarn disappearing down a dark rabbit hole, but with no end to grasp.

Loki curled up on the couch, shaking. He had _tried_ , tried so hard to ignore it but he _couldn't_. Each time it got worse, he felt it, _inside_ , like a seed growing that ate his mind and warped his limbs and danced him under the blank and fair sun like a grinning marionette.

He wondered where Thor was. It repeated in his mind, over and over as he drew his legs up to his chest.

His "wife" had gone to bed, kissed him goodnight and lied her love with a painted smile that made Loki cringe. He was _not_ going up there again. He would wait up for Thor and then they would _leave_. Thor could tie him up and haul him on his back for all Loki cared. _Yes, leave. We'll leave._

Suddenly he stood up, his legs carrying him to the stairs. _No, damn you! Not yet! I have to wait for Thor!_ But his legs kept moving, unheeding of his commands. He tried to reach out a hand and catch the railing but it didn't work, his hand didn't so much as twitch.

Halfway up the stairs Loki started to wonder why he was even resisting. Wasn't he _supposed_ to go to bed now? Of course he was, that's what people do when it's time to sleep! _No wait!_ That wasn't right... wasn't he waiting for something?

As he reached the top step, the front door burst open. The sight of his brother snapped Loki back immediately, his mind returning, although his body continued.

"Brother!" Loki shouted. "Help me, I can't stop!" He continued walking as Thor bounded up the stairs, four steps at a time. He then grabbed Loki around the waist and quickly threw him over his shoulder.

Loki found himself struggling to get free. "Put me down!"

"But-"

Realizing what he'd just said, he added quickly, "Ignore me! I'm... I'm not myself. Just get me out of here!"

Although Loki's body refused to stop struggling, Thor didn't have much trouble forcing him out of the house, still carrying him over his shoulder. The second prince sighed in relief when the cool night air greeted him.

As Thor carried him across the small but picturesque town, Loki tried his best to look about. Thor was taking a strange route in between the houses and behind them, and fortunately there were only a few people out given the late hour.

Remembering that he was angry with his brother, Loki gritted through his teeth, "Where _were_ you," although the effect was somewhat lessened as he couldn't breathe properly being over Thor's shoulder. His voice came out strained.

He wasn't sure if Thor thought his continuing struggle was a sign of anger, but the blond suddenly lowered him to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Loki asked in a small panic. He was angry, but he didn't want to be put _down_. Thor was his last and only hope for escaping that dreaded house.

A glance at Thor, at his look of determination, told him he had some purpose for putting him down. A second later he realized that purpose. Loki's body continued to try and get away, but Thor grabbed his wrists and held them firm while he fastened shackles to them. _Where did he find such things?_ Loki was surprised, and he wasn't sure if he should be relieved or not- despite that he had been thinking something similar earlier.

"I'm sorry, brother," said Thor, "but I cannot allow you to return."

Loki rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, I don't _want_ to return. Now where in Helheim _were you_?" He was suddenly so angry. He felt tears threatening to spill, but he somehow controlled himself enough not to let them fall. "I...I was..." Loki didn't know how to finish. It seemed the wrong time, and especially _place_ , to have this discussion, especially with Thor adding fetters to his ankles as well, so Loki shut his mouth.

"That is a long tale," said Thor as he returned Loki to his previous position over his shoulder, "but I will tell you after we arrive."

Although curious, Loki remained silent, confident his brother would explain. _He better, I don't need anything_ more _driving me mad in this place._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you all think is going on? Any guesses?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for not updating the last two weeks, I've had the flu. Updates should continue on the regular days (hopefully) from now on, but I'll update again tomorrow so the schedule won't get disrupted.

The closer they got to their destination, the Underground, the less Loki struggled. Thor was glad of it as it was becoming tiresome. Even bound, Loki's body seemed determined to get away and it was extremely disheartening the way his little brother worried that he might succeed in it, might be taken back to that house, as if he almost didn't trust Thor to keep him away. He tried to murmur reassurances as often as he could, saying he would never let that happen. He couldn't tell if Loki was reassured or not.

The opening to get down was easy enough to find and open, but getting down the ladder proved somewhat difficult. Loki's struggles made it more difficult to descend, although he did manage in the end. He had tried to slip away, but Thor held tightly. He hoped the rest of the way proved just as simple.

After they reached the ground again, Loki asked, "What is this place?"

"The Underground," replied Thor.

"I can _see_ that, but why are we here?"

Apparently Loki wasn't content to wait any longer to find answers. Thor couldn't blame him.

"Is this him?" asked the familiar voice of Lorne, who suddenly stood before them.

Thor nodded as Loki struggled to see who had spoken. "Who is that?" he asked, voice rising. "Thor?"

"It's alright, brother," Thor said, but addressed Lorne next. "My apologies for leaving so soon before, but...wait," Thor trailed off and frowned at the once-again hooded man. "How do you know about Loki?"

Lorne tilted his head slightly. "You mentioned him-"

"No, I did not."

The man sighed, shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry, I should have told you..."

"Told me what?" asked Thor, eyes narrowing.

Loki struggled a little, trying to maneuver so he could see Lorne. "Brother, who is that? What is happening-?"

"Hush, Loki," said Thor in a firm tone. He continued eyeing the man before him. He assumed the other Underground dwellers were further in, but it still worried him that he couldn't see them. "What should you have told me?"

"Just that we knew about him- your brother. Although we didn't know about _you_ until I saw you by that building."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're not connected."

"Connected to what?"

Lorne sighed. "We're not sure what to call it, but a lot of us began calling it the System." At Thor's frown of confusion he continued. "Look, maybe I'm not the best guy to tell you this stuff. Let's go further in, talk to the others."

Reluctantly, and still with some suspicion, Thor followed Lorne.

.

The small ramshackle homes of the Underground dwellers made Thor cringe. There were _children_ living here, and by the looks of it, barely surviving.

A small room at the end of a long stretch of homes- if they could be called that, as they were made of flimsy materials -was where Lorne led them. Denise was there, although Thor only recognized her from her voice when she greeted him. Everyone had donned their hoods since he had left.

"Thor," greeted the elderly woman, "welcome back. Is this your brother?"

 _Does everyone know of Loki?_ Thor wondered. "Yes, this is Loki. Say hello, brother," Thor turned a little so Loki could see them.

"Delighted to meet you, I'm sure, although it would help if I could _see_ who I was speaking to."

"Don't be rude," interrupted Thor. "These people are trying to help, and it's unbecoming of a prince to speak so-"

"Shut _up_ , Thor!" Loki hissed under his breath so only Thor could hear. Alright. So maybe he was embarrassing Loki unnecessarily, but he couldn't help feeling a little annoyed at having had to endure Loki's- even if only his _body's_ -struggling the entire way here. It was unfair, of course, and he wasn't _angry_ with Loki, just... prickly.

"Prince?" Denise asked as she stepped forward, hands delicately folded in front of her.

Thor smiled cordially. "My apologies for my brother, he is struggling with...well, I'm uncertain what to call it."

"We know," stated Lorne, stepping up. "Your brother is an anomaly in the System, and you," he said to Thor, "we still don't know _what_ to make of you. You're here but you don't seem to be _connected_ at all; I'd even say the System itself doesn't know what to do with you."

"What? I don't understand." Thor frowned.

Before Lorne could answer, Loki tapped him on the back. "Thor," he said, "could you set me down first? Or would everyone like to continue speaking of me as if I weren't here?"

Sighing, Thor carefully set his brother down on his feet. "There, happy?" said Thor, but just as soon as Loki was on his feet he tried to run away- _stumble_ away, toward where they had just come from, but he didn't get far.

"Brother!" Loki gasped, half in panic and half in annoyance, but Thor caught him around the waist and pulled him against his chest, holding tight. As he struggled, Lorne approached.

"Where'd you get those cuffs?" Lorne asked, looking at Loki's shackles.

Thor shrugged. "I obtained them from a man who accosted me on the way to Loki's house."

"... _What?_ " Loki asked as he continued to try and get away.

"He approached me in some sort of moving vehicle and said strange words to me. I had no time and tried to say so, then walked away. He brandished a weapon in my face so I subdued him. He and his vehicle had these restraints, and I thought Loki might need them."

The dwellers seemed to be staring at him, until Lorne spoke up. "You... attacked a cop?"

"Cop?" both Thor and Loki asked.

Lorne shook his head. "Never mind. We have to act quickly."

Loki stopped struggling as Thor asked, "Act quickly? To do what?"

Denise moved toward a door behind her, a solid black door that looked to be painted that way. "Here," she indicated the door with a hand. "If you place your brother in here, he'll be cut off from the System."

"Thor..." Loki whispered under his breath, but Thor barely heard him.

"What does that mean?" asked the thunderer.

"It'll mean he won't be controlled by it anymore," answered Lorne. "He'll be like us."

Thor narrowed his eyes. "...Like you."

" _Thor_ ," Loki said again, a little louder but still a whisper. He began struggling more fiercely to get away.

"Brother, quiet," said Thor, still occupied with the others surrounding them. And when did the others join them in this room? There were now almost a dozen of them, not including Lorne and Denise.

"He'll be free," said Denise.

"Free like us," continued Lorne as he stepped forward.

Loki's fingers gripped tightly to Thor's arm. "Brother,please. I want to go now," he whispered, eyes darting to each of the hooded faces. "This isn't right- _let's go_."

"That's the System talking," said Lorne. "It's trying to keep him. It doesn't want another one of us _free_. That's why we fight back any way we can, that's why we can't rest until we find a way out."

"A way out..?" Thor asked, his mind running from one thought to the next, piecing things together. "You," he said to Lorne, eyes darkening. It suddenly clicked, so suddenly he took a step back, pulling Loki with him. " _You_ started that fire, created that explosion. _You_ did it."

To his surprise, Lorne nodded. "Of course. We disrupt the System any way we can. It's just too bad there wasn't anyone in there." He said it so matter-of-factly, Thor winced.

"How can you say that?" Thor bellowed. "You were _hoping_ there were people inside?"

"Yes," said the man as he stepped closer again. Loki tried to back up but couldn't move Thor.

"Why?" asked Thor. "Why would you wish to kill them? I thought you said you used to _be_ them, why do you wish them harm?"

"There's no other way," said Denise with regret. "We can't get them away, not... not enough of them. There's too few of us now, we can't _fight_ fast enough. We have to strike back. If... if you joined us. If he..." she trailed off and Thor wondered what she was about to say.

"No!" Loki suddenly jerked in his arms, trying to get away with renewed vigor. "Brother, let me go _!_ " He seemed to forget he wouldn't get very far with the fetters on his legs. "They want to make me one of them!" he hissed, flailing this way and that. "I don't want to- _let me go!_ "

Denise raised her hands imploringly. "It's for the best!" she said to Loki. "If you and your brother joined us, we could finally defeat it. _Finally_ be free of this gilded cage! I'm sure of it. If you go through this door, you'll be free, too! You can help us, both of you!"

With a pained and frustrated scream, Loki kicked out with both legs and knocked Lorne back a few steps- it wasn't enough to topple the man, as Loki wasn't exactly aiming for anything, but it removed his hood.

The blank face stared back at them.

Loki inhaled sharply and turned around, then tried to get past Thor. "No!" he screamed. "They're trying to kill me! Let me go!"

Caught off guard and worried there might be truth in Loki's words, Thor took a step back, which caused Loki to fall to the floor. He yelped and turned on his back, eyes wide and fearful. Several of the dwellers shuffled forward as they surrounded the younger god.

"Brother, help me!" screamed Loki.

Unnerved by his brother's panic, Thor quickly leaned over him as Loki draped his arms around Thor's neck so he could be pulled to his feet. Although Thor held tightly, Loki held on as if his life depended on it. _Did it?_ Thor couldn't be certain. He had just met these people, how could he know if their intentions were pure and without malice?

Loki buried his face against Thor, but kept a panicked eye on the people surrounding them.

"This has to _be_ ," said Denise as the two brothers looked to her. "He must join us."

"Stop _saying that_!" shouted Loki. He continued to hold Thor tightly, determined not to let go. "Don't let them take me," he whispered pleadingly. "I don't want to go- I don't want to go through that door. It-It's like _that_ door."

"What door?" Thor asked into his ear. "The one to your basement, in your house?"

Loki nodded. "Please don't make me go..."

Thor sighed, still uncertain what to do. Looking to Denise, he asked, "What happened to your faces?"

She lowered her hood and Loki hid his face further. "Our faces..." she murmured resignedly. "It's an unexpected outcome of the Removal."

"The Removal?" asked Thor.

"Yes, from the System. The System gave us our lives, made us _who we are_. When we removed that influence, we became new again."

"New?"

"Like babes in the womb, but...we can't get ourselves back without re-connecting to the System. We'd rather die than return. Than to...become like _him_ again," she indicated Loki, who continued to hold to Thor.

Thor frowned a moment, a question crossing his mind. "What happens when Loki goes into the basement in his house? He is so..."

"...Terrified of it?" finished Lorne. Thor nodded, as Loki, seemingly unconsciously, whimpered quietly.

Lorne looked to Denise. "That is the Doorway," said the elder woman, "the Doorway Into the System. Each one leads to the same place. It further integrates us into it, assimilates us, makes us...compliant, _pliable_. It ensures we don't rebel so the System can continue to control us."

For the first time Loki turned his head so he could look at them. "B-but why can't I remember what happens there, and why am I so...so afraid? I'd rather die than go in there again."

Thor held Loki closer, glad that he could at least ensure his safety, at least for the time being. Even if Loki had wanted to be away from him, Thor was sure he wouldn't be able to let him go. Taking away Loki's body was one thing, but now, now that he knew just _what_ this 'System' had been trying to do... Thor shuddered. It explained why Loki sometimes seemed lost, not himself, grinning like the moron he never could be and speaking of things he had no business knowing.

Denise nodded in understanding. "What happens in the Basement, in _all_ our Basements, we will not say. We simply can't find the words for it. It's for the best you don't remember- although, it tells us something else."

"What?" asked Thor.

"That you and your brother truly don't belong here. He should remember what happens there. Tell me: did the process ever succeed, did he ever come out not himself, _different_ than when he went in?"

Thor tilted his head. "Sometimes, although not always. It seemed to come and go."

"As we thought," she nodded. "He's not meant to be here, the programming won't take completely. But why aren't _you_ connected at all?" she asked Thor.

The thunderer shrugged, barely understanding _any_ of this.

"I think..." Loki began, but when the blank faces turned to him he shrunk back into Thor.

"What is it?" asked Denise with a kind voice.

"Thor and I aren't... the same..."

"The same?"

Loki looked to Thor, apparently uncertain how to explain their... _situation_ , where they came from, that they already knew they didn't belong here and that they would soon be leaving. He wasn't sure how wise it would be to explain the Tag and its purpose, that Loki was the Reader and Thor his Keeper. And would these people even understand? Thor barely understood it.

Loki shook his head. "Suffice it to say, we... we're simply not the same. Thor is connected to me, but _I_ am what connects us to this place." His green eyes turned intently on Denise and Lorne. "We'll be leaving soon. I'm sorry, I can't help you- I can't," he swallowed and shut his eyes. "I _can't_ go through that door." His eyes met Thor's as he whispered, "Please don't make me..."

Thor's eyes darted between his brother's as he nodded. "I promise. If you do not wish to, brother, of course I will not force you."

With a relieved sigh Loki lowered his forehead to Thor's shoulder.

"Denise," Thor asked, "what is the difference between this door and the one in Loki's home?"

"It does the opposite of what those Doorways are used for. Instead of re-establishing a connection, it severs it."

Loki lifted his face and sniffled, then looked around at those gathered. Apropos of nothing, he asked, "How do you eat without mouths?"

There was silence for a moment, then several chuckles could be heard throughout the gathered crowd. Loki shrunk a little, apparently embarrassed.

"It's... complicated," chuckled Lorne good-naturedly. "I guess you never wondered how we were talking?"

"I did," defended Thor. "I simply thought there were more pressing matters to attend to than asking pointless questions." He cleared his throat as a few more chuckles could be heard.

"It's sort of like telepathy," explained Lorne. "Best not to think too much about it."

Thor nodded and couldn't agree more about that. After a moment of silence, somebody behind Thor asked, "What's that?"

Loki's body went rigid. "N-nothing," the younger god immediately answered.

An uncomfortable silence passed over the crowd. Thor realized the Tag had been pointed out. _Is this... a bad thing?_ he wondered. It wasn't as if these people- if his encounters with the inhabitants so far were telling -could actually _harm_ them in any way. Or could they? And, once again, Thor was glad for Loki's closeness; who knew if he might have to run out of there quickly? These people were odd, at the very least, if not exactly hostile. Loki might disagree, though.

"We've never seen anything like it," said another hooded person.

Thor felt Loki's throat bob against his shoulder. "Thor," he whispered in his ear, "what should I say?"

It was strange for Loki, who was so often named _Silver-tongue_ , to ask _Thor_ for advice on what to say, but Thor realized that right now it wasn't pretty words that were needed, but guidance. Loki rarely asked permission for anything, but when he was nervous or fearful he always looked to Thor for help and direction. Thor hated to admit it, but he knew Loki was far more intelligent than he could ever be, yet his little brother lacked the drive to push forward and often slunk back when he should be charging ahead. It caused more conflict between them than anything, but when Loki recognized it... Well, Thor didn't want to acknowledge it, but he liked it when Loki asked for his help, it told him clearly that he still needed him.

"In truth," answered Thor instead of Loki, "even _we_ barely understand what it is."

The crowd murmured with curiosity.

"Your brother is wearing it," stated Lorne, "how do you not know what it is?"

Thor wasn't sure how to answer. Clearly there was no way to get out of explaining the Tag. Loki might otherwise have been able to lie successfully, but Thor wasn't sure it was even necessary. He cleared his throat. "It connects us to..." he trailed off. How _could_ he explain it? He barely understood it himself!

Fortunately, Loki took over, turning around slightly but not letting go of Thor. "It connects us to our home," he began. That wasn't exactly accurate, but it was the simplest way to put it. "We are not...from here..."

"This town?" asked Denise.

"This town, this...world, this..." Loki paused a moment, "reality."

" _Reality?_ " asked Lorne. Thor imagined Lorne's face might be incredulous...if he had a face. Suddenly the man looked purposefully at Denise, and although it seemed they should be speaking, they were silent.

Loki turned his face to Thor's, confused.

Taking a step forward, Lorne asked, "Can we see it?" There was a sense of urgency about him suddenly.

Thor frowned, and while he had intended to give Loki a questioning look, his brother beat him to it. "Thor? Should we..?"

What was the purpose of hiding now? He was also curious as to what had just happened between Lorne and Denise.

Nodding, Thor said, "Can you turn around, brother?"

Loki removed his arms from Thor and turned around, but Thor purposefully kept both his arms wrapped around Loki to keep him close. Fortunately, Loki's body seemed to have given up on running away. Thor wondered if he was imagining the way Loki leaned against him, as if afraid he might leave.

Slowly, Loki presented his shackled wrists along with the Tag.

As if excited, Lorne stepped forward, arms half-raised. Before he could touch the Tag, however, he asked, "May I?"

Tentatively, Loki nodded.

Lorne touched it, very carefully, turning it over as best he could to see it from every angle. He inhaled lightly. "Denise," he whispered. The woman walked over as she looked the metal over as well. "Do you think..?"

Denise nodded. "We can try, if they let us." She looked to the brothers. "Can we try something? You don't need to worry, it won't hurt you."

Thor wondered how they could be certain, but Loki was already nodding.

"Here." She walked away and indicated a point on the wall beside the blackened door, where a panel lit up as Lorne touched it. Two long orange wires extended out from the sides of the panel, held up as if they wanted Loki to do something with them. Denise bid the brothers come closer. Despite Loki's obvious nervousness, he still began walking, albeit slowly given his fettered state, toward the panel. Thor followed behind, careful not to trip his brother, but still unwilling to let him go completely.

As they reached it, Lorne asked, "Can you hold it up?"

Loki nodded and held up his wrists. Lorne then attached the ends of the two wires to the Tag with some sort of silvery, small discs. They stuck easily to the metal of the Tag, as if attracted to it.

Immediately, Loki jumped a little. Thor was ready to pull him back but Loki whispered, "It's alright, brother. I'm alright. It only startled me."

"What happened?" asked Thor.

"Oh...sorry about that," said Lorne with some surprise. "I didn't think you'd feel it. That's what we call a phantom shock; you should _know_ that something is connecting, but you shouldn't feel it physically..." he trailed off as he looked at the lit-up screen attached to the wall. Denise stood beside him as they both touched the flat screen in several places.

Thor asked Loki: "Did it hurt?"

Smirking, Loki said, "I think I can handle a little shock, my brother being the god of _thunder_ and all. I can't count the times you unintentionally hit me with-"

"Oh my God..." whispered Lorne, but his words were barely out before, suddenly, everything in the room went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, so sorry for the cliffhanger, but since I'll be updating tomorrow, you won't have to wait long!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also updated yesterday so make sure you read that chapter before this one.

There were strange sounds of muffled thumping all around. Loki blinked in the darkness, thinking he might have somehow lost consciousness. Thor's ever-tightening grip around him immediately told him otherwise.

"Brother," Thor whispered in his ear, "what's happened?"

Loki shook his head. "I don't know."

Everything had gone dark, the lights in the room as well as the panel on the wall.

"Lorne?" Thor called. "Denise? Are you injured, what is happening?"

No one responded.

Feeling the hairs on his body rise at the ominous quiet, Loki held tightly to his brother's arms.

Someone groaned in front of them. Loki tensed. Then, just as suddenly as they had gone off, the lights blinked back on. Loki squinted in the sudden brightness, then tensed at the sight before him. Thor held him tighter- enough that Loki almost strained to breathe.

Everyone, all of the Underground dwellers, adults and children alike, were on the floor. Loki desperately hoped they weren't dead, just unconscious. Many of their once-hooded faces were revealed in their repose, and he shuddered.

"What...what should we do?" Loki asked.

"I don't know," answered Thor.

Another groan. _Lorne?_ Then another, from somewhere behind them, then another from somewhere to their left. Slowly, the inhabitants appeared to be awakening.

Thor let out a relieved sigh. "Are you alright?" he asked with a quieted voice, as if he were afraid they had been, in fact, _sleeping_. Loki almost chuckled.

Lorne sat up slowly, a hand going to his head. "What..." he mumbled groggily. He helped Denise sit up as others began to rise and help each other.

It appeared to Loki that his elder brother wished to aid the others in standing, to check if they were well, but he seemed less than willing to leave him. Although he felt selfish for thinking it, Loki didn't want Thor to let him go- not just yet. Not knowing what had happened, he wondered if there could still be danger.

He'd completely forgotten about the wires still attached to the Tag, but Lorne quickly reminded him by yanking them off with a swift motion. The man chuckled nervously, "I don't think it likes us looking at it."

Denise stepped up beside him. "What happened?"

The man tapped at the screen, which was once again lit. "Looks like...oh, wow..." he trailed off.

"What?" asked Thor and Loki together.

Lorne looked at them, then Denise, then back at the screen. "It...it looks like your...device didn't just shut down _us_ , it shut down everything attached to the System." The brothers remained confused. At their expression, Lorne continued. "What I mean is: _everybody_ , _everywhere_ lost consciousness for...thirty seconds, give or take."

"What?" asked the two brothers again.

"Whatever that thing is," Lorne nodded toward the Tag, "it _does not_ like to be messed with. The second I started poking around, it didn't just shut _me_ down, but _everything_. I've...I've never seen anything capable of doing that. Nothing but the Main Core, that is. I don't even know how it's possible, the System has so many layers of protection, it almost defies the laws of reality. As we understand them, at least." He stared at Thor and Loki. "What _is_ that thing?"

An uncomfortable quiet fell over the group. Loki swallowed nervously.

Apparently ignoring Lorne's, hopefully, rhetorical question, Thor asked, "How did the Tag render all of you unconscious? I don't understand."

"Tag?" asked Denise.

"It's...too much to explain," said Loki, "but that's what we call it." _Not we, but_ she _, actually._ They hadn't named the thing.

Lorne took a step forward. "You have to understand, it's not just people that are connected to the System, _everything is_. And each of us is connected to each other. My guess would be, since Loki's connected to the same System, and the...Tag to him, it sent a surge through him that affected us all." He looked to Denise, who nodded in agreement.

"Then," began Thor, "why did Loki remain conscious?"

There was a pause as they seemed to be thinking. "I think," said the elderly woman to Loki, "that your Tag protected you. While I still don't understand what it is, something that powerful and, seemingly, _aware_ on some level is bound to protect its user. May I ask: are you able to remove it?"

Loki looked to Thor for a moment, again wondering what he should say, but answered anyway. "No, I can't, I...I've tried. It can't be removed. It also appears to be indestructible- _Ah!_ " A violent shock ran through Loki's body as he fell backward. _Why am I falling?_ Thor should have caught him.

But... _Thor_ was the one who had pulled him down to the floor. His arms, which had been holding tightly to Loki, now fell limply to his sides. Thor had apparently lost consciousness. Loki jostled and shifted, trying to sit up and turn around at the same time.

"Brother!" Loki scrambled and checked for his heartbeat, his own heart feeling as though it would jump out of his chest. Fortunately, Thor's heart still beat strongly. "Thor!" he yelled, voice breaking.

" _Thor!_ " near a hundred people spoke all at once in a loud monotone.

Loki stared at the people surrounding him. "What-?"

" _Appears- appears to be indestructible_ ," said the entire group of faceless people at the same time, voices still in a low drone. " _Indestruct- Indestructible. Brother! It can't be removed._ " They did nothing but stand and speak in unison, their flesh-faces doing nothing, their bodies rigid and straight.

Fear and panic creeping in, Loki clung to Thor. "Brother...brother," he whispered, but the others immediately mimicked him and he flinched at the sound.

Then suddenly, he felt a surge of power run through him. _My magic!_ It returned all at once, crackling along his limbs. The handcuffs on his wrists fell off, then the ones around his ankles. He had no idea how he could even be doing that. _No! I can't!_ But he was already standing, his body once again out of his control. "No, wait!" he shouted, but it was useless as he stepped over his supine brother and proceeded out of the room. "Brother, wake up!" he tried, but he was already too far away.

Strangely, all of the Underground dwellers followed him. Although their expressions had always been blank, now their bodies followed suit, as if they were nothing more than automatons following commands as a group.

" _Stop this_ ," he said through his teeth, but to whom, he didn't know.

Soon he was climbing the ladder and returning to the surface, a long trail of faceless people following.

Loki felt his magic surging through him, as if it were being conjured for use- except he barely knew any spells! Not yet at least. What was his body getting ready to do? He hadn't considered that this _System_ might gain control of his magical abilities, but that was because he had only recently begun studying the craft. He hadn't ever considered it to be a danger.

He desperately wished to know what had happened to Thor. So far, all efforts of the System to either include or subdue Thor hadn't worked, as if he were the only one truly cut-off. Then, another thought occurred to Loki, and it alarmed him more than anything. _The Tag._ Could the Tag have rendered Thor unconscious? But how? And why?

No answer was forthcoming as Loki and the group of Underground inhabitants made their way through the sleeping town.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Thor awoke to an empty room. Groaning, he sat up, then suddenly remembered that something should be in his arms. He looked around frantically. "Loki?!" There was no one, only the quiet of dim lights. Then, something shook the ground and walls.

Although he wondered why the entire Underground had been vacated and why he had been sleeping there, he had more pressing matters. He worried that Loki might have gone back to his house... or something worse. He wasn't certain what constituted _worse_ in this place, though.

The ladder was easy to find and the metal that usually guarded the entrance had been flung aside into the grass. An explosion rocked the ground. Thor stumbled, and he tried not to lose his footing as he ran from the Underground.

The entire town was in chaos. People ran this way and that, fires burning everything, houses, trees, even the grass.

 _Norns, what is happening?!_ He ran down the streets, but didn't know what to do. Should he attempt to help with the fires or should he look for Loki? And even if he did help, where could he start? There were _so many_ fires burning, and more were starting.

And Loki...

Suddenly deciding on his course of action, Thor concentrated. It didn't always work, as it had when he first arrived to this world, but it was worth a try. He didn't understand how it was possible, but perhaps there was something about this place that connected them more fully. Closing his eyes, he listened; not with his ears, but his mind.

_Where are you, brother?_

All at once, he knew. He ran in the direction he knew his brother was, worry and fear threatening to overtake him. He purposefully pushed the thoughts out. _He is well, nothing has happened, he won't be hurt, he_ can't _be- I'm coming..._

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Loki tried to control himself, continued to try, but it was no use, he simply _couldn't_. He felt his hand reach out and grab for another screaming person. Like with all the others before, they stopped, then promptly fell over as if dead.

The faceless people, the Underground dwellers, ran about, causing mayhem everywhere they went. They, too, didn't seem in control of themselves.

Something... something was _whispering_ in Loki's ear. He jerked around, trying to identify the source. "Who's there?" he called, voice shaking. People continued to run around, panicked, ignoring him.

Again, it whispered.

He turned round and round, looking about frantically. "Who said that?!" he screamed.

_Destroy..._

He gritted his teeth and continued turning about, trying to find the voice.

_Destroy, destroy._

"Who is _saying that?!_ "Loki screamed, his fists balled in anger.

_Destroy_

_Destroy_

_Destroy_

_Destroy_

The words repeated, over and over and over. Loki screamed incoherently now, but continued grabbing people, then letting them go after they fell boneless to the ground.

"Please, _stop_!"

He didn't.

Another person fell at his fingertips.

An explosion to his left.

A woman screamed before she, too, fell limply to the hot ground.

Loki cried for her as he stumbled away, half-crawling as he frequently lost his footing, eyesight blurring through tears. "Brother, where are you?!"

A blast of heat hit him as a house to his right exploded. He ignored it, didn't have time to be afraid as he continued to stagger down the road.

 _Loki..._ whispered the voice again, as if right into his ear. _Find... destroy..._

"No!" Loki screamed. "I don't want to! _Stop! Just stop!_ "

He froze when he saw... _her_.

 _No._ _She can't be here_. _No. Leave! Stay away from me!_

Sigyn. Looking panicked and lost, she stood near their home with soot-covered face. Then she saw him, and to Loki's horror began running toward him with worry furrowing her brow. "Loki!" she screamed.

"No!" Loki shouted, desperate. "Stay away from me! No, stay-" She fell to the ground with a thud as she tried to embrace him. "Why did you-!?" he began, but clenched his teeth and shut his eyes. _Why didn't she listen?_

The only thing that responded was another explosion, and a voice barely whispering into his ear: _Destroy..._

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

There were bodies scattered _everywhere_ , and it didn't look like any fire or injury had felled them. Thor was sure he was imagining it, but the bodies seemed to almost follow in a line. He followed them, thinking it somehow important, and because they seemed to be leading toward...

Thor rushed forward as he spotted his brother, who was on his knees in the middle of the street, ashen fists beating the ground. The Tag clanged every time he hit.

"Stop, stop, stop, _stop!_ " screamed Loki as tears fell from his tightly closed eyes.

"Brother!" Thor shouted as he approached, uncertain what to do at the sight of him. He hadn't forgotten the trail of... bodies.

Loki's eyes blew open as he scrambled backwards quickly. "No, stay away! Please, _please_ stay away! I-I don't want to- I don't want to hurt anyone else!" he cried in a blind panic.

And although Loki desperately tried to get away, Thor grabbed his flailing arms. "Loki! Brother, it's me! It's Thor!" Loki stopped for a moment, eyes impossibly wide. "It's only me, it's your brother."

Staring wildly, Loki stuttered, "B-Brother?"

Thor nodded. "What- what are you..." He didn't know what to say, what to ask.

"Brother," Loki said again, swallowing, as if he could only get a single word out. "Thor."

Thor nodded again, slower. "Yes." He kept hold of Loki's wrists, suddenly afraid to let him go. They stared at each other for a long moment, neither knowing what to say.

"I did this," Loki blurted out, his eyes darting everywhere without purpose. "I did this. I hurt them. I hurt _everybody_."

Quickly and without thinking, Thor grabbed Loki and pulled him close, embracing him tightly. "Shh, you couldn't have. These fires, did the Underground dwellers start-"

" _I did this!_ " shouted Loki as he tried to push him away, but Thor held tightly, not ready to let go. Then Loki's eyes widened suddenly. "I can hear it, the _voice_. I don't know why, it wants me to destroy them. All of them. But I don't want to. Brother, please, stop me." His distraught eyes ripped at Thor's heart.

 _But how?_ Thor wanted to ask, but instead he said, "I will." Then, something caught the corner of his eye. He grabbed the Tag around Loki's wrist and asked, "What's this?"

"What do you mean?" said Loki, sounding tired and drained. "The Tag-"

"Why does it look... different?"

A man ran by them and Loki immediately tried to grab for him, but Thor held him firmly as the man passed by. Although confused as to why his brother had tried that, Thor didn't press. Loki didn't seem to notice as he stared at the Tag.

"What do you mean?" asked Loki again. "It looks the same."

"No, it doesn't. These... lights, I've never seen them before."

To Thor's eyes, there were red patterns glowing along certain parts of the metal. They formed what appeared to be symbols, but they were different than the usual carvings upon the Tag, which Loki hadn't been able to decipher yet.

"I don't see anything," said Loki as he stared at it. Then, again, his eyes widened as before. "It's speaking again, the voice. _Who is that?_ " he hissed in annoyance, looking around.

"What does it say?"

Loki shut his eyes. "'Destroy' mostly. And other words I don't understand, and..."

"What?"

His eyes opened, worry behind them. "My name, sometimes."

"It knows you?"

"Yes- brother!" Suddenly Loki began struggling against Thor's grip, but Thor held firmly to his arms. "Wait, stop, let me go!"

"But-"

"Just trust me, Thor. It's trying to remove you again. You'll lose consciousness like before!"

Although he was reluctant to let Loki free, Thor released him.

Surprised, Loki stumbled back a few steps. "Thank- thank you," he said quietly. Seeing someone running toward them, Loki shrunk into himself. "Keep them away- stay away!" he yelled to the man as he tried to hide himself using nothing but his arms.

Not quite understanding, but knowing that Loki did not want the person to approach, Thor ran and grabbed hold of the man. The man shouted in protest, and when he tried to run away, Thor let him go. As he watched the man run, he heard Loki scream, "Brother!" from behind him, but his voice sounded far away.

Turning around, Thor saw Loki running in the opposite direction, already so far away. Loki then swiftly jump onto the second floor of a building. "Loki!" Thor yelled as he ran in the same direction. "What are you doing?"

He didn't answer, nor did he turn around as he disappeared inside the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will resume on Thursdays from now on. I hope you're all enjoying the episode so far!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I updated twice earlier this week, so if you're late to these updates, make sure you check those out first.

His legs carried him without thought. When residents of the System drew near, he reached out and grabbed them, and only let go when they fell to the floor. He couldn't cry for them anymore, couldn't try to warn them, and he felt powerless and numb.

He didn't know where he was going, all he knew was that Thor hadn't kept him, hadn't been able to save him from himself because even _Thor_ wasn't safe. He'd left his brother and it hadn't been his choice.

Loki came upon a large, locked door in the sprawling basement of the building. The steady, single red light above the doorframe screamed _Do Not Pass_ , but he didn't know how he knew that, there were no words, only an ominous, pulsating glow. It didn't matter, his body was determined to get through. He kicked at the metal door several times, but it wouldn't budge.

 _Good_ , thought the prince. If he couldn't get through this door, maybe Thor would have time to catch up. He sensed movement behind him, but before he could get excited and call for Thor, he recognized- by his clothing -that it was Lorne. The man stepped up to the door, and, with mechanical movements, he tapped on the panel next to the door, then stepped away. Loki was startled when his own body rushed forward and connected the Tag to the panel, touching the two together. Turning to ask Lorne what was happening, he found the man walking away.

The door slid open.

_Go_

_Go_

_Go_

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

It wasn't as difficult to follow his brother as Thor thought it would be. A trail of bodies littered the floor, and despite his urge to check on each of the poor souls, he had no time.

On the way down a stairwell, he ran into Lorne.

"Lorne? Is that you?"

The man had stopped, but he did nothing but stand blankly as he stared straight ahead.

"Lorne, what is wrong? Have you seen Loki?"

Still the man did not respond. After a few moments, he turned away from Thor and went on his way in silence.

 _What in Helheim is happening?_ So far, the people in the Underground had seemed the most "normal" out of everyone he'd met in this strange realm, but now they seemed to be the cause of the chaos happening. Even so, it seemed Loki was somehow responsible for their destructive behavior. However, there was no time to ponder on it further so he continued on his way, the trail of fallen people seemingly neverending.

.

A long and dark corridor stretched before Thor. At the end of it, there was an open door with a bright, almost _blinding_ light cutting into the darkness. The contrast was nothing short of astounding, so much so that it didn't seem natural, as if darkness were a solid thing and a knife of light had cut into it. Thor walked slowly toward the door, somehow unable to move any faster. He picked his way around the people on the floor, but fortunately their numbers were lessening. He fixed his gaze on the harsh whiteness and refused to look away lest the picture somehow change- or worse, the door close.

_Doors. Always doors._

The final ten steps felt like walking through molasses. At first he didn't notice, but when the door was barely within arm's reach, he felt as if his breath had been ripped away. Afraid he might fall over suddenly, Thor put up a hand so as to steady himself on the side of the door, but there was something wrong. His hand was... He had no color in his hand, in _either_ hand. He looked down at his clothing. Everything was in monochrome. _What is happening to me?_ His mind had a hard time registering what he was seeing.

Despite his growing tension and, although he didn't want to admit it, slight fear, he continued forward until he crossed the door's threshold. The moment he did, it was as if a thousand needles struck every part of his skin, only to dissipate a moment later. It was so brief he didn't have to time to react, but to his relief, all the color in his body had returned. The odd sensations had left, and he suddenly realized he could breathe easily again- and he only now realized he _hadn't been breathing at all_.

But what was this place? There was nothing here. Nothing but white in every direction, even the floor. It reminded him of... the open Door. The open Door in the House, the Doors that were never meant to be opened. A sharp sense of panic shot through him as he suddenly realized he didn't know where he was, or where _Loki_ was. Thor turned to return back through the door, but there was nothing there, the door had disappeared.

 _Trapped._ He was trapped in here.

Not knowing what else to do except stare at the vast nothingness of white, Thor walked a few steps forward. Then, feeling a bit more confident that nothing would happen, he took a few more steps, then a few more. After about a dozen more steps toward what he assumed was straight ahead, he began to hear something strange.

 _Is someone...crying?_ He stopped and strained to hear, and even closed his eyes. It _was_ someone crying, softly but continuously. And when Thor took a few more steps, the crying became louder, if only marginally.

"Who goes there?" Thor asked, and was startled by the sound of his own voice. There wasn't anything different about it, except _there was_. It was as if sound shouldn't exist here. As if only an endless quiet should permeate the blank canvas.

The crying had stopped. Then, in a very, very faint voice, he heard: " _Brother?_ "

Thor blinked and looked around frantically, turning this way and that. "Loki? Brother, is that you? Where are you?"

" _I... I'm here..."_ By the sound of it, it was _Loki_ who had been crying. Thor could hear it in his broken voice. He also sounded very muffled, like there was a wall between them.

"Why can't I see you?" asked Thor.

There was a long pause. " _You have to concentrate harder. Do not see with just your eyes._ "

Thor frowned. "What? I don't understand."

Loki didn't answer as he began crying again, but it sounded as though he were trying to hide it.

"Brother, please," Thor tried, "tell me how to find you. Allow me to help you."

Again, the crying subsided. " _Stop thinking with your head, Thor._ "

This was becoming frustrating. How could he stop _thinking_ with his head? What else was he to think with? But his brother was in distress and _he couldn't help him_ , and if there was anything that frustrated Thor more, it was being unable to come to his brother's rescue. So, even though he felt stupid for it, he tried his best not to... think with his head.

He closed his eyes. Then, he thought of nothing.

It was so quiet here, quiet except for his brother's soft sniffling. It might have been serene if it wasn't so surreal.

"Brother?" Loki's voice was suddenly so much louder and Thor opened his eyes.

He could see him! But... _only_ Loki, nothing else. That was strange because he appeared to be leaning on something as he sat on the floor with his legs curled up to his chest. As Thor stared at him, slowly, like the world was being painted around his brother, the environment began revealing itself. First, the desk Loki seemed to be hiding under; it was white, smooth and plain. But as more of the construct before him appeared, it was clearly not a desk, but something part of a much larger whole. It was difficult to comprehend, and Thor wondered if he was truly seeing it. The entire construct reached to the sky- if there was a sky -and the ends of it Thor could not see. It was like a wall stretching forever in every direction. The space in which Loki occupied was roughly rectangular in shape, embedded into the wall, but there were many other shapes cut into the white-metal construct, of varying sizes and geometric shapes, many of which Thor could have fit into himself.

"Loki..." Thor backed up as he tried to see further down the wall. "Brother, what is this?"

The trickster didn't move from his spot as he hugged his knees tighter. "It wants me to destroy it, but I don't want to," he said in lieu of answering.

"What?" Thor looked down at him and finally remembered why he'd come here. He knelt beside his brother and leaned on the structure with his forearm. It didn't feel cold, as he was expecting. "We should leave here," Thor said softly. He didn't understand what Loki meant, but his little brother didn't seem in his right mind right now and he probably wouldn't be able to handle any complex questioning.

Again, Loki ignored him. "I don't want to destroy it, brother." His wide, glassy eyes stared at him. "Why does it wish me to?"

Sighing, Thor supposed they might not have a choice but to acknowledge what was happening and deal with it. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Loki shook his head desperately as his eyes wandered. "It doesn't like the intrusion. It's only trying to protect me... and you. But it doesn't understand- doesn't _understand_ that these are people." Then his eyes went impossibly wide as he buried his face against his knees. " _No!_ No, I don't want to. _Stop telling me what to do!_ " He began crying again, gritting his teeth.

"Brother!" Thor leaned closer and tried his best to fit into the small space so he could get to his brother. "Brother, please come out. I don't understand. _Tell me_ what is happening and I may help-"

"You _can't_ help!" Loki suddenly burst out as he looked up. "The Tag wants me to-"

"The Tag? _That_ is what's causing all this?"

Loki nodded and buried his face again. "It's angry. It wants them all dead."

"Angry? But the Tag is not alive; how can it be angry?"

"I don't know, but it is. Did you not see what I did to all those people? It's _angry_ , Thor, but I don't want to listen to it."

This was all... very strange. They knew very little about the Tag, despite it being permanently secured on his brother's wrist. It never seemed to do much except allow Loki access to some parts of the House that were otherwise locked- all except a few. And, of course, it allowed them to travel between the universes. But then... there was the time when they'd traveled to that dying world. Loki had felt _compelled_ to do things then. What had Lares said about it? That while the Tag couldn't control Loki directly, it could _suggest_?

"Loki," Thor scooted closer, "if the Tag is responsible for all this, why is it able to control you? I thought it could not-"

"This _System_ had been controlling me, the Tag simply took over that function- took advantage of that connection and forced me to come here."

That explained that. "But why did you stop, then? Why do you hide here when the Tag wishes you to go further?"

Loki sniffled and wiped his face a little. "I don't know. When that door disappeared behind me, I could still hear its voice, but I was able to stop myself. I don't understand why-" He suddenly clutched at his head and screamed, "Shut up, shut up! I don't want to, stop it, stop it, stop it-!"

Grabbing his wrists to stop Loki from pulling at his hair, Thor took the opportunity to force him out from under the construct. Realizing what Thor was doing, Loki began to struggle.

"What are you doing?! No, stop! I don't want to go- I have to hide here!" Loki screamed as he tried to scramble back to his spot.

"Brother, let me help you!" Thor held fast to him as he pulled him against his chest. To Thor's surprise, Loki, almost desperately, clung to him, as if he'd simply exchanged one hiding-spot for another.

"Make it stop, Thor," Loki mumbled against him.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

For a long while, Thor held him as they leaned against the vast and endless wall. The voice of the Tag wouldn't stop, and he still felt the urge to do as it said, but with Thor there to make certain he did nothing, Loki felt a little better- at least enough to stop _crying_. He'd killed so many people already, he didn't want to harm anyone else. If he stayed here, at least, then he could have control of his body back. He didn't understand it, but for whatever reason, the Tag's- and also apparently the System's -control had stopped at the door.

Thor held him but said nothing. He occasionally ran his fingers through Loki's hair and rested his cheek on his head, and it was almost soothing. If not for the voice lingering constantly in the back of his mind, he could almost fall asleep. He was _so exhausted_. He'd been fighting his own body with such vehemence that he'd all but drained whatever magical reserves he'd regained. It had been foolish, really, to do that, but he hadn't realized how much of a toll it would take.

"How long until we must leave?" Thor asked quietly, but before Loki could answer, a faint, muffled voice came from seemingly nowhere.

" _Who said that?_ "

Thor perked up and looked around, but Loki was too comfortable to move. The voice was familiar.

"Lorne?" Thor asked the air. "Is that you?"

" _Thor? Where are you? Why can't I see you?_ "

The thunderer looked to the trickster. "Is this what happened when I entered here?" Loki nodded. "Then what should we do?" Thor asked.

Loki shrugged, too tired to care. Even so, what did this mean? How did Lorne, one of _them_ , get in here?

"Tell him to clear his mind," Loki murmured as he tried to get comfortable against Thor again.

Thor relayed the message to Lorne, although, like Thor, he barely understood. Even so, several moments later, the hooded man entered, and along with a companion, Denise.

"What _is_ this place?" said Lorne as he looked behind him and around. But when he turned to face the brothers, Thor inhale sharply. Startled, Loki sat up, but remained close to Thor.

They had _faces_. Both Lorne and Denise had _faces_ , they no longer wore blank flesh-masks beneath hoods.

"Your faces!" Thor exclaimed with all the enthusiasm of a child.

"What-" Lorne began as he touched his own face, then looked to Denise. "D-Denise?" His hand moved toward her, but he did not touch.

The elderly woman smiled and touched her own face, then looked to the brothers. "How...how did this happen?" she asked as a tear rolled down her weathered but pleasant face.

Loki shook his head when Thor looked to him.

"We do not know," answered Thor for them.

"I..." Denise's eyes darted about. "I remember so much more of who we were, who we were before we left the System."

Lorne was nodding and smiling. "I-I don't get it. We... we're still ourselves, still not being controlled by the System. How is this possible?"

Again they turned to the brothers for answers, but again, they didn't know.

The man looked up, his eyes widening as he scanned the endless wall of the construct. "What is this? Is this the Core?"

"We know as much as you," answered Thor.

"Oh, I doubt that," said Lorne, albeit not accusingly. He looked to Loki. "You know something, don't you?"

Loki couldn't help but shrink against Thor. He wasn't afraid of the man, but he was afraid of the implication in his words, that _Loki_ had somehow caused all this. And yet, Lorne's young face was kind, and even understanding.

Denise said nothing as she stood motionless, watching, thinking.

"That thing on your wrist," said Lorne, "it's technology outside of the System. Whatever it is, it's beyond anything that's meant to exist here. It completely took over all of us, and it was like we'd never gained our freedom." Again, despite his words, he did not seem to be accusing Loki. Lorne moved closer and knelt to one knee before the brothers. Softly, he asked, "May I?" Loki didn't need further explanation to know what the man was asking. Loki looked to Thor for help.

"It is your decision, brother," Thor said quietly. "I cannot help you." But he _was_ helping, even if by simply being here.

Nodding, Loki extended his wrist and the Tag to Lorne. Slowly, and almost warily, Lorne touched the device and turned it over and over, studying it, similarly to the first time. After a moment, he asked, "Is there anything unusual happening with it? Anything different?"

Loki swallowed. "You mean... other than a voice whispering in my ear to destroy you all?"

Lorne glanced at him but said nothing. Denise continued to watch them from a few steps away.

"There are lights," Thor spoke up.

Lorne and Loki both frowned. Thor had said something similar earlier. Loki asked, "Lights?"

"Red lights. Like patterns or words, although I cannot decipher them."

Why was _Thor_ seeing such a thing when Loki could not?

Denise now joined them, although she sat next to the brothers instead of kneeling. "My old bones can't take kneeling," she said, smiling. She sighed when she settled, then pulled out a small book of some sort and handed it, and a pen, to Thor. "Can you write what you see?"

Thor seemed surprised, but he took the pen and notebook and opened it. "I suppose I can." After a few moments of turning over the Tag to copy whatever was written there, he handed the book back. Denise took it, looked at it, then smiled and gave it to Lorne.

"Oh my God," Lorne whispered after he looked at it for a moment. "This is..." he looked almost panicked, "this is a Core code, the key into the System. This is..." He clutched at his hair with a hand, then moved that hand to cover his mouth.

"What does that mean?" asked Thor, clearly as confused as Loki.

Denise continued smiling, but it was almost sad. "That is our salvation, dear ones, what we've needed all these years."

Loki blinked at her. "I do not understand."

"I'd found my way into this place years ago," began the old woman, looking around, "so, so many years ago, when I was still young, before I'd gained complete freedom, before..." she trailed off as her fingers lingered near her face.

"Was this when you first escaped, after the first removal?" asked Lorne.

She nodded. "Right after. I found a door into the System that didn't lead there at all. It led here, instead, to this... Impossible Room." Her eyes wandered to the vast expanse of the 'wall' that towered before them. "I'd all but forgotten it existed. I think I thought it was a dream..." She looked to Loki. "You found a way in- the _proper_ way. I don't know how, but you've broken through."

Lorne sat down more fully. "Why didn't you tell us? Tell someone?" he asked Denise.

She shook her gray head as she removed her hood. "It wouldn't have mattered. In those days I was as good as you, Lorne," she smiled fondly. "Better, even. You see," she looked to Thor and Loki, "it was I who first escaped. I was the _first_ of the Underground. The System wasn't ready for me, it was easy in those earlier years to get through to places we shouldn't have. But it didn't matter when it came to this place because there was nothing to do here." She again looked around. "I never had the key. I couldn't access the _heart_ of the System, the Core, which is somehow, I think, controlled by this place- or _is_ this place, I don't know. None of it mattered. Our revolution died and we went into hiding, reduced to striking out in any way we could to disrupt the _sameness_ of it all. It was the only way we could fight."

Thor nodded with a dawning realization. "That was why you set fire to that building."

They both nodded. "Stasis is the enemy," continued Denise. "Our world lacks entropy. Nothing ever changes. Always the same, _tortuously_ the same. Our lives aren't our own. Our families are not _real_..." she trailed off as she looked down. " _We_ aren't real."

Lorne took her hand in both of his. "No," he stated firmly. " _No._ I refuse to believe that. We _are_ real. We exist- we interact with each other, we... How can we _not_ be real?"

The elderly woman shook her head as her bright eyes glistened with tears. "I found out the first time I separated. I saw our world for what it is: a _simulation_. A mockery of life." She looked at Thor and Loki. " _They_ are real; I can sense it. You can, too, Lorne, don't deny it."

He blinked rapidly, eyes wide. "No... we're real. Don't say that, I can't... it _can't_ be true." He shook his head. "But Alessa-"

"Is not real. Your love for your daughter is an illusion created by this System. She is gone, Lorne; she never was."

Feeling devastated for a reason he didn't understand, Loki could no longer listen to this. He struggled out of Thor's hold as he sat up. "I don't understand what you're saying. We are interacting with you now. How can you say you are not real? That is absurd."

"I don't understand it myself," Denise sighed. "Somehow, you and your brother came to this... place by means of your Tag. But without understanding what that Tag is, I can't understand by what mechanism you came to be here."

Lorne shook his head again, then shook it a second time, as if the act might set him free of his thoughts. "It doesn't matter. We have the key now, _so it doesn't matter_. Whether a simulation or not, we... we can still be free. We can still be..." He shut his eyes tight and hid his face with a hand.

Denise nodded in sad understanding. "You know what we have to do." There was a short pause. "We have to end it."

Loki's eyes went wide. He didn't quite understand her meaning, or perhaps he didn't wish to, but he didn't like the sound of it. It had a ring of finality to it that so often accompanied death. Like a sun setting that would never rise again. He shuddered at the thought and a sudden chill whispered up his spine.

" _No_." Thor had been silent until now and his voice, despite being so quiet, sounded far too loud, an assault on the vast emptiness of this place. "How can you say such things, how can you _give up_ when your liberation is so close?"

"That's easy for you to say," said Lorne. "You're real."

"No more or less real than you," countered Thor. The other two stared at him, looking unconvinced and frustratingly resigned.

"Our lives are an illusion-"

"Then tell us of your lives. Who is this Alessa that you mentioned?"

Immediately, Lorne's attitude shifted. "My... my daughter. One of the few memories I never lost."

"And where is she?"

A dark cloud came over the man. "She's gone...dead. It happened years ago, just after her tenth birthday."

Thor seemed to deflate at this, falling silent, but Loki didn't want to give up so he asked, "Then are you sad for her?"

Lorne snapped from his stupor and stared at him. "What?"

"Your daughter," Loki asked, "does her death make you sad?"

"Of course it does! What kind of cruel question-"

Loki pulled away from Thor and with the voice whispering _destroy, destroy, destroy_ he channeled it into his words. "Does it make you lie awake at night and think of her? Do you feel devastated, even after so much time? Do you feel _anger_ for how it happened?"

"Yes! Yes, of course-"

"But why?!" hissed Loki in a vicious tone. "Why would you feel such things?!"

"Because she's my daughter! Because I love her!" Lorne stood up suddenly and faced them down. "How _dare_ you make me question my love for her-"

"How dare I?" Loki asked. "But...you're already doing that yourself."

Lorne flinched back, eyes wide as if he'd suddenly been struck.

"I thought you weren't real," continued Loki in a taunting tone. "Isn't that what you said? If you aren't real, then your love is not real- never _was_ real. Why should you care for a girl that never was?"

The man did not move. He stared at nothing, as if his vision would go no further than a single breath from his face. Denise, too, did not move or say anything.

Loki stood, with some effort, and he felt Thor stand behind him. He pointed at the small book in which Thor had written the key. "There is your salvation, if you would but have it. No one is keeping you from freedom, only yourselves." Thor's warm hand on his shoulder was comforting and steady, and Loki wasn't sure if he would be able to walk away if he didn't know Thor would be there beside him. This place made him question his reality and he didn't like it. If these people thought themselves a simulation, an _illusion_ , then how could he be certain _he_ was not one as well?

But Thor was here. Thor was real; Thor was _always_ real. He didn't know why he knew that, he simply knew.

The princes turned, slowly, and began walking toward where they somehow knew the exit would be. The voice in Loki's head had quieted down, as if it knew there was no more threat. Before they could walk through the door, he heard Denise call to them.

"Loki," she said, her voice somehow so distant suddenly. "They aren't dead. Don't blame yourself. _They are not dead_. Remember that."

The journey back to the House was solemn, and neither brother said a single word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite them going back to the House at the end, there is one more chapter to go.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out much shorter than I thought, lol. Anyway, this is the last chapter in this episode.

_"Welcome home."_

Loki glared at the ceiling of the House and Thor wondered at his brother's thoughts, if they led to that dark place that his brother seemed to slip into on occasion. They didn't speak the rest of the day as they both went their separate ways.

When waking the next morning, Thor decided to seek out his brother. Given what had happened, he thought he should find him and talk about it. Loki's emotional state lately was so fragile, and he was saddened that he could only lift whatever troubles the younger felt for a short time. While he knew Loki would not admit it, he was happier in Thor's presence. It made Thor want to be with him even more- and more so given that the House was feeling very empty of late.

This time Thor did not bother to look for Loki himself first, he immediately asked Lares. The AI directed him to Loki's rooms, which Loki had, in a fit of anger the last time they'd argued, moved to a location far away from Thor's own rooms.

Silently walking into his brother's fortunately carpeted bedroom, Thor found the lights off, the only illumination the blue glow from the enormous, wall-spanning fish tank across from the door. The tank was far, but close enough that Thor could make out the figure curled up in a ball on the large bed to his right. He meant to call out to him, to alert him of his presence, but if Loki was awake he always knew when Thor was approaching, and he was somehow certain Loki was awake.

Still, the thunderer walked slowly, feeling more intrusive than usual. When he walked to the other side of the bed so he could face his brother, he was startled to find Loki's bright eyes wet, staring back at him like he'd de-aged about a hundred years. Memories flooded back then, of a time in their childhood when Thor had found Loki curled up and hiding in a corner of their mother's garden, his eyes just the same as now.

_"What's wrong, brother?"_

_Loki tried to hide and turn away as he hugged himself tighter, his form small and trembling._

_"It's alright," said Thor, "I won't tell mother if you broke something of hers."_

_"I killed it."_

_"What?"_

_Slowly, small, pale hands opened to reveal the tiny insect in his little brother's palm. It was indeed dead, its golden body mostly intact, but unmoving. Thor stared at it, then looked into Loki's wet, green eyes._

_"It's... just a bug, Loki. You don't need to-"_

_"But I killed it!"_

_"Loki..."_

Loki had run away then, and it had taken Thor almost the entire rest of the day to find him; he was rarely ever found if he didn't want to be.

Now Loki was looking at him again, his wide eyes so much like those younger days when he'd cry at even killing an _insect_ , and by accident, no less.

Although it was such a random thought to have, Thor suddenly felt guilty about dragging Loki along on all his hunting adventures. Perhaps there had been more to Loki's reluctance to hunt than a simple disdain for leaving his library and his books; perhaps...

Thor put the thought out of his mind for now.

"Loki?" Thor said as he sat on the bed, between Loki and the tank. "I..." He didn't know what he could say that might help. "I am sorry for what has happened."

Although he blinked a few times first, Loki turned over on his other side so he was not facing Thor. "It's nothing," he stated blankly, but there was a clear strain of emotion behind his words.

"Brother," Thor moved to touch him.

"Leave me alone, Thor."

Thor's hand stopped, hovering in the air for a moment. "Why?"

The snort Loki was probably going for came out as more of a choked sob. "I wish to be alone."

"Why?" Thor asked again.

For a long while, Loki did not answer him.

Thor looked about the darkened room. The exotic fish Loki had caught in the crystalline lake outside the House moved slowly in their habitat, somehow seeming as melancholy as their owner. It suddenly struck Thor as strange that Loki had pets at all; even as a boy Loki had always disapproved of owning any, even though he loved animals. He told himself to ask Loki about it at some point.

"I killed them," answered Loki finally.

The voice was so small Thor wondered if he'd imagined it. "Brother?"

Again, there was a long moment of silence before Loki said quietly, "It was my fault."

"Loki..."

"You were there, you saw."

"I was also there when Denise said it was not your fault, that they were fine."

"Is _that_ what she said?" Loki bit back. "Was she not the one saying _they weren't real in the first place_?" He paused again, then said, even quieter, "They weren't real, so I couldn't have killed them, _that's_ what she was saying. She was simply trying to make me feel better, that's all."

Thor suppressed a sigh and lowered his head. A small green fish twirled about the large tank, far from the others, but seemingly content all alone.

"Loki," Thor asked, not turning around. "why do you have fish?" Why ask later what he can ask now?

Movement on the bed told him Loki was sitting up. " _Why_ in the realms do you bring _that_ up now?"

Thor shrugged. He continued to follow the green fish, which did another elaborate twirl, seemingly happy.

"Why do you care?" asked Loki quietly.

"I don't know. You never had pets before, why these?" He finally glanced at Loki, but the younger's face was blank as he shrugged one shoulder and awkwardly picked at the blanket.

"I like them."

"That's not really an answer, brother."

Loki sighed. "What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me why you have fish when you've _always_ scolded me for having my own pets. You disapproved."

"They're..." Loki trailed off as he bit his lip.

"They're what?" urged Thor.

Loki's face suddenly scrunched up as he seemed to be holding back more tears. "Because they _aren't real_..." He pushed his face into the pillow and held it tightly against him.

Feeling terrible for asking the question now, Thor moved to embrace him. " _Oh_... oh, brother, I am- I am so sorry. I should not have asked. I did not think-"

Loki shook his head as he let Thor hold him awkwardly. "No, it's alright. You're right, it's foolish."

"I said nothing of the sort."

"But isn't it? If they weren't real, then it doesn't matter."

"Loki. Stop." Thor held him away from him then, to see his face, so he could be clear and understood. "You were so adamant then, why have you changed your heart? They _are_ real, that hasn't changed now."

"But it's better. It...it makes me feel better because _they aren't real._ " He cried again as he pulled back into Thor and laid his head against him. "Tell me they aren't real, brother. Tell me I didn't kill them. Tell me they're just fish in a tank of illusions. Tell me... _please_."

Loki wept, and Thor had no words for him. He wrapped his arms around him and held tightly, because there was nothing else to do.

 _They are real,_ Thor thought in his own mind, but, for some reason, he knew if he told Loki he would not believe him.

.

A day later Thor decided to confront Lares about what had happened. He knew the AI would probably answer with her customary _I cannot answer that_ , but Thor was determined.

"Lares!"

_"Yes, Thor, how may I help you?"_

He settled in an armchair in one of the common rooms, which was situated one corridor down from the library.

"You may help me, and my brother, by telling me what happened in that place. And do not pretend you do not know of what I speak. You have seen and heard as much as I how much this is hurting Loki."

There was a short pause. _"What would you like to know?"_

That was surprisingly easy. Thor had to collect his thoughts for a moment as he was caught off-guard. "Eh... can you tell me if..." _Stupid question. Stupid._ "If that place was real?" He lifted his eyebrows and waited.

_"I cannot answer that."_

Thor lowered his head in disappointment. He knew that would be her answer.

_"But not for the reason you believe."_

He lifted his head. "What?"

_"I have great knowledge, but even I do not have the answer to the questions of life."_

"The... questions of life..."

_"Yes."_

"I do not understand."

It was amazing to Thor how many times Lares seemed to pause, as if her mind worked like theirs, as if she needed a moment to think.

 _"You are a resilient species, that is why you have been selected for this task,"_ she paused again, and it was stranger then, _"yet you are also very fragile. I am programmed to maintain your well-being, but I have found I cannot always succeed in that endeavor. So understand this: there are things beyond what I am, beyond what you are, that cannot be answered. I would seek to answer such questions for you, but sometimes you must simply live with the knowledge that some things may be forever beyond reach."_

"Still," Loki cut in, suddenly standing nearby, "what _do_ you believe happened there?" He moved closer to Thor as the elder prince stood up. To Thor's relief, Loki did not move away when he placed his hand firmly on his shoulder.

 _"I cannot answer that,"_ stated the AI, as she so frequently did, but she continued. _"However, you, perhaps, could answer it for yourselves someday."_

The brothers looked at each other, curious. This was the most they'd heard Lares talk about anything. "How?" asked Thor.

_"I cannot answer that."_

Strangely, Loki smiled a little. "I don't think she can answer us, brother. How could she? What did she call it: 'The answer to the questions of life'? Can you blame her?"

Thor shook his head and squeezed his brother's shoulder. Loki said _'Ow'_ , but smiled, even if it was still subdued.

"Are you alright?" asked Thor in seriousness.

Lips pursed, Loki hesitated. "I don't know. I think I will be." He looked down, then up at Thor, something suddenly a little brighter in his eyes.

Thor smiled and nodded, the mood just that little bit lifted. Then, remembering something from their youth, Thor said slowly, "Then perhaps I might help that along..?" He smiled widely, showing teeth.

Loki stared at him with wide eyes, a smile building as he tried to hide it. "Oh no, no." He pointed a finger at Thor.

"Oh yes, brother. I intend to hug the sadness out of you, as I did when we were but children."

"When we were children I hid from you for _days_ because of that."

"Yes, and when I found you you were made better for all my embraces."

"No..." Loki continued to hold up a finger as he slowly backed away. Thor continued smiling as he spread his arms and took a predatory stance, knowing his little brother would run.

"Come here, little brother," Thor sing-songed as he approached.

Loki was still trying to hide a smile, and failing by the second. "I said _no_ , Thor. I have books to study in the library. I have no time for-"

Thor lunged at him as Loki leapt out of the way. The elder landed on his face with arms spread wide as Loki laughed at him.

"Nice try, Thor!" But Thor was already jumping up to give chase. Loki laughed as he ran straight for the door, headed for, Thor knew, the library.

It was some time before the chase ended, and with several bruises for both of them- but didn't it always? The elder held tightly to the younger as Loki complained and threatened him with magic, and Thor would answer mockingly with what he always did: _'What magic?'_

The House felt a little less empty at the moment, but Thor couldn't guess how long it would last. Loki seemed to be slipping away, even as Thor held tighter. The future was so uncertain, precarious, like some fragile thing that was building up just to fall soon after. He held onto this moment, this day, Loki's smile, but how long could this go on? Thor put it out of his mind and waited for another day, for another Door to open, to show them where this unsteady path would next lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hadn't planned for this particular ending, but it just went that way. I hope you've all enjoyed this latest episode. I don't know when the next episode will come, but hopefully it'll be at least this year, haha. Tell me what you thought of this episode!


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